Variegated Wax Plant

Awarded a RHS AGM the Hoya carnosa is a common house plant grown for its attractive waxy foliage and sweetly scented flowers. These flowers which last about one week produce lots of nectar and have a strong sweet fragrance that it can fill an entire room at night. It can tolerate the drying climate of a room better than other members of the genus and is less vulnerable to cold temperatures. When grown indoors, the climbing Hoya carnosa can grow quite tall and they are usually grown on small trellises or trained around wire or stakes. When the plant is young and small they can look attractive grouped together in a hanging basket.

Planning

Difficulty

Advanced

Flowering time

Summer

Fruiting time

Autumn

Harvesting

Generally not harvested.

Propagation

Cuttings

Take stem cuttings (roughly 8-10cm) in spring.

Special features

Geography

Origin

Eastern Asia and Australia.

Natural climate

Lowland tropical rainforests

Environment

Light

Full Sun

Soil moisture

Dry

Soil type

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Soil PH preference

Acid, Neutral, Alkaline

Frost hardiness

Tender

Uses

Notes

Suitable for containers in conservatories, greenhouses and indoor rooms, grown against walls and up supports.